TRANSMISSION 


OP 


POWER 


BY 


WIRE    ROPES. 


IliiilH 
iB 


JOHN   A.  ROEBLING'S  SONS, 
TRENTON,  N.  J.,  AND  117  LIBERTY  STREET,  N.  Y. 

NEW  YORK: 
D.  VAN   NOSTRAND, 

23  MURRAY  STREET  AND  37  WARREN  STREET. 

1872. 


DESCRIPTION 


OF   A 


NEW    METHOD 


OF 


TRANSMITTING   POWER 


BY   MEAXS   OE1 


WIRE      ROPES 


BY 

W.    A.|ROEBLING,    C.E., 

TRENTON,  K  J. 


THIRD     EDITION, 


NEW  YORK : 

D.     VAN    NOSTKAND,    PUBLISHEB, 
23  MURRAY  STREET  AND  27  WARREN  STREET. 

1872. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  iu  the  year  18G9, 
.      BY  D.   VAN    NOSTRAND, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  New  York. 


•terent.rpml  by  LITTLE.  RKNX!*  .k  Co  , 
645  and  &17  Broadwar.  Now  Yuife. 


INTRODUCTORY  REMAKKb 


PART  I. 

11  The  use  of  a  round  endless  wire-rope  running  at  a  great 
velocity  in  a  grooved  sheave,  in  place  of  a  fiat  belt  running 
on  a  flat-faced  pulley,  constitutes  the  transmission  of  power 
by  wire-ropes" 

The  distance  to  which  this  can  be  applied  ranges  from 
50  or  CO  feet  up  to  about  3  miles.  It  commences  at  the 
point  where  a  belt  becomes  too  long  to  be  used  profitably, 
and  can  thence  be  extended  almost  indefinitely.  In  point 
of  economy  it  costs  only  one-fifteenth  of  an  equivalent 
amount  of  belting  and  the  one  twenty-fifth  of  shafting. 

I'll  is  method  was  iirst  introduced,  both  in  Europe  and 
America,  about  the  year  1850.  The  development  it  has 
received  in  this  country  is  but  trifling ;  in  Europe,  how- 
ever, it  has  been  immense,  numbering  at  the  present  time 
over  2,000  permanent  applications,  and  as  man}'  more  of  a 
temporary  nature. 

Visitors  to  the  Paris  exposition  in  18G7  doubtless  re- 
member seeing  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  iron  lighthouse 
two  slender  ropes  whizzing  through  the  air  high  above 
their  heads  at  the  rate  of  a  mile  a  minute,  and  passing  in 
their  course  over  the  broad  promenades,  the  garden  and 
part  of  the  artificial  basin.  Upon  entering  one  of  the 
buildings  in  which  the  ropes  disappeared,  they  saw  a  huge 
centrifugal  pump,  raising  a  stream  of  water  twelve  inches 
in  diameter  from  the  reservoir  below.  In  looking  at  the 
ceaseless  flow,  every  one  was  impressed  with  the  idea  that 
the  ropes  formed  some  kind  of  a  mysterious  connection 


R      M342500 


between  this  pump  and  a  steam-engine  working  in  a  build- 
ing three  hundred  feet  off;  few,  however,  understood  it. 

That  was  simply  a  transmission  of  power  ly  ropes. 
The  entire  force  of  a  50-horsc-power  engine  was  thus  con- 
veyed through  the  air  by  one  endless  half-inch  rope,  and 
was  consumed  in  driving  "M.  Schneider's  great  pump.77 

There  is  scarcely  an  establishment  in  existence  where 
it  would  not  be  convenient  at  times  to  transfer  power  to 
some  isolated  building  located  at  a  distance,  without  going 
to  the  trouble  or  expense  of  putting  up  an  engine. 

Here  we  have  the  ready  means  at  command — a  meant 
which  recommends  itself  by  its  cheapness  of  first  cost,  its 
economy  of  maintenance,  and  perfect  reliability  in  regard 
to  working.  To  enumerate  all  the  instances  where  it  can 
be  applied  would  be  too  formidable  a  task, — a  few,  how- 
ever, will  be  of  interest,  and  will  readily  lead  the  reader 
to  fill  out  the  list  for  himself. 

Many  valuable  sites  for  water-power  are  lying  idle  in 
this  country  for  want  of  building-room  in  their  immediate 
vicinity ;  and  since  the  water  can  only  be  led  down  hill 
in  certain  directions,  the  cost  of  a  canal  or  flume  would  in 
many  cases  come  too  high,  and  so  the  power  remains  unim- 
proved. By  ropes,  however,  we  can  convey  the  power  of 
a  turbine  or  waterwheel  in  any  direction,  both  up  stream 
as  well  as  down  stream,  to  either  side  if  necessary ;  up 
an  ascent  of  1  in  8  or  10,  or  down  a  moderate  slope  as  well. 
The  power  need  not  be  confined  to  one  factory,  but  can 
be  distributed  among  a  dozen,  located  so  as  to  suit  their 
particular  business,  and  not  to  suit  the  oftentimes  incon- 
venient location  of  a  canal.  If  the  water-power  is  on  one 
side  of  the  river  and  the  factories  on  the  other,  it  is  an 
easy  matter  to  transfer  it  across,  by  making  one  or  two 
artificial  stations  in  the  river,  which  nature  often  supplies 
by  a  rock  in  place.  (See  Frontispiece.) 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  in  Gcr- 


many,  the  power  of  a  100-horse-power  turbine  is  conveyed 
for  a  distance  of  3,200  feet,  by  means  of  a  rope-transmis- 
sion, to  a  cotton  factory  located  in  the  proper  place  for 
such  a  building.  Wheels  of  13J  feet,  making  114  revolu- 
tions per  minute,  arc  used  ;  size  of  rope  5  inch,  stations  8  in 
number  and  400  feet  apart.  A  nearer  site  for  a  building 
could  not  be  found,  and  this  was  the  only  way  in  which 
the  power  could  be  made  available  for  that  purpose. 

At  another  establishment — a  powder-mill — the  various 
buildings  were  placed  400  feet  apart  along  the  circumfer- 
ence of  a  circle  having  a  diameter  of  about  1,200  feet.  In 
the  centre  a  waterwheel  supplied  the  power,  which  was  con- 
veyed to  each  building  by  a  rope-transmission.  One  man 
at  the  central  building  sets  in  motion  the  machinery  of 
all  the  buildings,  which  on  this  account  could  be  placed  far 
enough  apart  to  prevent  the  explosion  of  one  from  pass- 
ing to  the  other. 

In  many  factories,  long  counter-shafting  with  heavy 
bevel-gearing  can  be  saved  by  using  a  rope  ;  the  farther 
off  the  shaft  we  wish  to  drive,  the  better  the  arrangement 
will  work. 

A  heavy  punch  or  pair  of  shears,  straightening- rolls,  etc., 
may  at  times  be  more  conveniently  located  out  in  the 
yard,  near  the  metal  which  they  are  to  work  upon  ;  but  in 
the  ordinary  way  it  would  be  rather  troublesome  to  con- 
vey power  to  them,  and  so  they  are  put  up  inside,  and 
the  metal  is  carried  in  and  out  at  a  heavy  annual  expense, 
all  of  which  could  be  saved  by  this  method. 

It  can  be  profitably  applied  as  a  substitute  for  horse- 
power used  at  outdoor  work  by  rolling-mills,  furnaces, 
mines,  and  all  sorts  of  contractors'  building  operations. 

Factories  in  cities  are  generally  cramped  for  room. 
When  neighboring  property  cannot  be  bought,  perhaps  that 
across  the  street  can :  yet  the  trouble  and  expense  of  dig- 
ging up  the  street  to  lay  down  a  line  of  shafting  is  suf- 


ficient  to  deter  one  from  the  purchase.  For  such  a  case  a 
remedy  is  here  presented.  A  little  endless  rope  passing 
through  a  couple  of  slits  in  the  window-casing  of  an  upper 
story,  across  to  the  story  opposite,  will  do  all  the  work, 
and  none  of  the  passers-by  will  be  any  the  wiser  for  it.  A 
belt  would  require  protection  from  the  weather,  but  the 
rope  does  not;  and  can  hang  free  in  the  air. 

From  an  engine  in  the  basement,  power  can  be  readily 
conveyed  to  the  upper  stories ;  it  is  necessary,  however, 
that  for  a  certain  distance  the  rope  should  hang  horizon- 
tally, in  order  to  gain  the  required  tension. 

As  the  largest  example  of  a  wire-rope  transmission  we 
may  mention  the  great  improvement  at  the  Falls  of  the 
Rhine,  near  Schaffhausen,  in  Switzerland :  advantage  was 
taken  of  the  rapids  at  one  side  and  a  number  of  turbines 
put  in,  aggregating  in  all  GOO  horse-power.  Since  the 
steep  rocky  banks  forbade  the  erection  of  any  factories  in 
the  immediate  neighborhood,  the  entire  power  was  trans 
ferred  diagonally  across  the  stream  to  the  town,  about  a 
mile  lower  down,  and  there  distributed,  certain,  rocks  in 
the  water  being  made  use  of  to  set  up  the  required  inter- 
mediate stations.  There  are,  no  doubt,  hundreds  of  similar 
localities  in  our  country  which  can  be  improved  in  this  way. 

New  England  especially  abounds  with  them.  Coal 
being  so  expensive  there,  their  value  is  all  the  greater. 
At  the  same  time  the  rough  and  rocky  nature  of  most  of 
her  river  banks  has  in  many  cases  proved  a  barrier  to 
the  erection  of  factories  near  by.  Now,  however,  by  the 
system  of  rope-transmission  we  can  devote  all  this  waste 
power  to  a  useful  purpose. 

For  much  of  the  material  embraced  in  the  following 
pages  I  am  indebted  to  the  Swiss  brothers  Him,  who 
have  been  mainly  instrumental  in  developing  the  system 
practically  on  the  continent ;  and  also  to  Prof.  F.  Rculeaux, 
who  treats  of  the  subject  in  his  "  Constructeur." 


TABLE   OF  TRANSMISSION  OF   TOWER 
WIRE- ROPES. 


BY 


Diam. 
of 
Wheel 
in  Feet. 

No. 
of 
Rev. 

Trade 

No.  of 
Rope. 

Diam. 
of 
Rope. 

Horse 
Power. 

Diam. 
of 
Wheel 
in  Feet. 

No. 
of 
Rev. 

Trade 
No.  of 
Rope. 

Diam. 
of 
Rope. 

Horse 
Power. 

4 

80 

24 

-1 

3-3 

10 

80 

'9 

18 

1  44 

55- 
58.4 

4 

IOO 

24 

1 

4.1 

10 

IOO 

19 
18 

H4 

68.7 

73- 

4 

120 

24 

1 

5- 

IO 

1  20 

19 
18 

Hi 

82.5 
87.6 

4 
5 
5 

I4O 
80 
IOO 

24 
23 
23 

1 
A 
1V 

5.8 
6.9 

8.6 

10 
II 

140 

So 

19 

18 

19 
18 

Hi 
-Hi 

96.2 

102.2 
64.9 

75-5 

19 

Si.  i 

5 

1  20 

23 

A 

10.3 

II 

IOO 

18 

1  44 

94.4 

5 

140 

23 

TV 

12.  1 

II 

120 

19 

18 

1  44 

97-3 
U3-3 

6 

80 

22 

if 

10.7 

II 

140 

19 
18 

1  44 

113.6 
132.1 

6 

IOO 

22 

41 

13-4 

12 

80 

18 

44! 

93-4 
99-3 

6 
6 
7 

120 
I4O 

So 

22 
22 
22 

41 

41 
44 

16.1 
18.7 
16.9 

12 
12 

IOO 

1  20 

18 
17 
18 
17 

Ul 
4i! 

116.7 
124.1 

140.1 
148.9 

7 

IOC 

22 

O  6 

21.  1 

12 

140 

18 
17 

ii  ! 

163-5 
173.7 

18 

112. 

7 

120 

22 

41 

25-3 

13 

80 

17 

44! 

122.6 

7 

140 

22 

4i 

29.6 

13 

IOO 

18 
17 

44  1 

I4O. 
153.2 

8 

80 

21 

4 

22. 

18 

168. 

3 

13 

1  20 

17 

44! 

183.9 

8 
8 

IOO 

1  20 

21 
21 

4 

4 

27.5 

33- 

14 

80 

\l 

\  I 

148. 
141. 

8 

17 

?m 

185. 

8 

140 

21 

4 

38.5 

H 

IOO 

16 

% 

176. 

9 

80 

20 
19 

4Jf 

40. 
41.5 

H 

120 

17 
16 

f  1 

222. 
211. 

9 

IOO 

20 
19 

4*1 

50. 
51.9 

15 

80 

17 
16 

1  i 

217. 
217. 

9 

120 

20 
19 

41  1 

60. 
62.2 

IS 

IOO 

17 
16 

I  3 

259. 
259. 

9 

140 

20 
IQ 

4*1 

70. 
72.6 

15 

120 

jj 

1  I 

300. 
300. 

PART    II. 

ON  the  preceding  page  a  table  of  horse-powers  is  pre- 
sented. It  embraces  every  case  that  will  ordinarily  arise 
in  practice,  and  one  can  readily  select  that  combination 
which  will  suit  his  own  case,  especially  if  the  driving 
machinery  already  exists. 

The  first  column  gives  the  diameters  of  the  grooved 
sheave-wheels,  in  which  the  rope  runs,  commencing  with 
4  feet.  Smaller  wheels  are  but  seldom  wanted. 

Then  knowing  the  number  of  revolutions  which  your 
shaft  makes,  the  last  column  gives  the  horse-power  cor- 
responding to  a  certain-sized  wheel. 

Where  there  is  a  choice  between  a  small  wheel  and 
fast  speed,  or  a  larger  wheel  with  slower  speed,  it  is  re- 
commended to  take  the  larger  wheel. 

The  horse-powers  here  given  are  a  minimum,  and  can 
be  relied  upon  under  all  circumstances. 

The  Driving  Ropes. 

The  range  in  the  size  of  wire-ropes  is  small,  varying 
only  from  I  in.  to  I  in.  diameter  in  a  range  of  3  to  250  horse- 
power. Full  information  concerning  the  strength,  cost, 
etc.,  of  the  ropes  is  contained  in  the  "  Wire-rope  table"  on 
the  last  page  of  this  pamphlet.  The  ropes  are  always 
kept  on  hand,  and  can  be  spliced  endless  at  the  factory  ;  or 
else  a  man  is  sent  to  splice  them,  whenever  an  endless 


9 

rope  cannot  be  put  on  direct.  Two  wire-ropo  transmis- 
sions can  also  be  seen  in  operation  at  the  factory. 

In  regard  to  cost,  they  are  the  cheapest  part  of  a  trans- 
mission. For  instance,  a  No.  22  rope,  conveying  say  25 
horse-power  costs  8  cents  per  foot,  whereas  an  equivalent 
belt  costs  about  $1.40  per  foot.  Where  a  rope-transmis- 
sion has  to  be  constantly  at  work,  it  is  good  policy  to 
keep  a  spare  rope  on  hand  ready  spliced,  so  as  to  avoid 
delay.  Their  duration  is  from  2  2  to  5  years,  according 
to  the  speed. 

For  the  smaller  powers  it  is  advisable  to  take  a  size 
larger,  for  the  sake  of  getting  wear  out  of  the  rope  ;  al- 
though it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  a  larger  rope  is 
always  stiffer  than  a  small  one,  and  therefore  additional 
power  is  lost  in  bending  it  around  the  sheave.  An  illus- 
tration of  that  is  seen  in  the  case  of  the  14-feet  wheel  in 
the  table,  where  a  I-rope  gives  less  power  than  a  l-rope, 
simply  because  it  is  so  much  stiffer. 

Ropes  for  this  purpose  are  always  made  with  a  hemp 
core,  to  increase  their  pliability. 

Equivalent  Belt. 

It  is  often  required  to  convey  the  entire  power  of  a 
certain  shaft  which  is  driven  by  a  belt  of  a  given  size. 
In  such  a  case,  a  simple  rule  agreeing  with  the  average 
result  of  practice  is,  that  70  square  feet  of  belt-surface 
are  equal  to  one  horse-power. 

Take,  for  example,  a  belt  1  foot  wide  running  at  the 
rate  of  1,400  feet  per  minute  ;  then  the 


Horse-power  =  '-^  =  20; 

and  by  referring  to  the  table  we  find  the  diameter  of  the 
wheel  corresponding  to  this  horse-power,  and  making  the 
same  number  of  revolutions  that  the  belt-pulley  does. 


10 


Distance  of  Transmission. 

The  foregoing  table  is  intended  for  distances  from  80 
up  to  350  or  400  feet  in  one  stretch.  For  a  single 
stretch  extended  to  say  450  feet,  where  no  opportunity  is 
presented  for  putting  in  an  intermediate  station,  we  must 
use  a  rope  one  size  heavier ;  and  in  a  case  where  there  is 
not  sufficient  head-room  to  allow  the  rope  its  proper  sag, 
and  it  has  to  be  stretched  tighter  in  consequence,  we  must 
also  take  a  rope  one  size  heavier. 

Short  Transmission. — Whenever  the  distance  is  less 
than  80  feet,  the  rope  has  to  be  stretched  very  tight,  and 
we  no  longer  depend  upon  the  sag  to  give  it  the  requisite 
amount  of  tension.  Here  we  must  take  a  rope  two  sizes 
heavier  than  is  given  in  the  table,  and  run  at  the  maxi- 
mum speed  indicated :  it  is  also  preferable  to  substitute 
in  place  of  the  rope  of  49  wires,  a  fine  rope  of  133  wires 
of  the  same  diameter,  which  possesses  double  the  flexibility, 
runs  smoother,  and  lasts  longer.  In  fact,  the  substitution 
of  a  fine  rope  for  a  coarse  one  can  be  done  with  advantage 
in  every  case  in  the  table  where  the  size  admits  of  it. 

Splices. — Both  kinds  of  rope  are  spliced  with  equal 
facility.  The  splices  arc  all  of  the  kind  known  as  the 
long-splice ;  the  rope  is  not  weakened  thereby,  neither  is 
its  size  increased  any,  and  only  a  well  practised  eye  can 
detect  the  locality  of  one. 

Relative  Height  of  Wheels. — It  is  not  necessary  that  the 
two  wheels  should  be  at  the  same  level,  one  may  be  higher 
or  lower  than  the  other  without  detriment;  and  unless  this 
change  of  level  is  carried  to  excess,  there  need  be  na 
change  in  the  size  of  wheel  or  speed  of  rope  :  the  rope 
may  have  to  be  strained  a  little  tighter.  As  the  inclina- 
tion from  one  wheel  to  another  approaches  an  angle  of 
45°,  a  different  arrangement  must  be  made,  as  will  be 
shown  hereafter  on  page  21. 


11 


Deflection  or  Sag  of  the  Ropes. 


In  the  above  illustration  the  upper  rope  is  the  pulling- 
rope  and  the  lower  one  the  loose  following-rope.  When 
the  rope  is  working,  the  tension  T  in  the  upper  rope  is  just 
double  that  in  the  lower  rope,  hence  the  latter  will  sag 
mudli  lower  below  a  horizontal  line  than  the  upper  one. 

When  the  rope  is  at  rest,  both  ropes  will  occupy  the 
position  indicated  by  the  dotted  line,  and  will  have  a 
uniform  tension. 

The  best  way  in  practice  is  to  hang  up  a  wire  in  the 
position  the  rope  is  to  occupy  at  rest :  that  has  to  be  clone 
in  any  case,  in  order  to  get  the  length  of  rope  needed. 
Then  hang  it  so  that  the  deflection  d,  below  the  horizontal 
line,  is  about  Ath  of  the  whole  distance  from  wheel  tc 
wheel.  The  deflection  d  of  the  upper  running-rope  will 
then  be  about  TVth  to  -&Vth. 

The  deflection  d"  of  the  lower  working-rope  is  on  an 
average  one-half  greater  than  the  deflection  d'  of  the 
rope  at  rest.  This  is  of  importance,  as  we  should  know 
beforehand  whether  the  lower  rope  is  going  to  scrape  on 
the  ground  or.  touch  other  obstructions;  in  that  case, 
we  either  have  to  dig  a  trench  for  the  lower  rope  to 
run  in  or  else  raise  both  wheels  high  enough  to  clear. 

Practically,  however,  it  is  not  necessary  to  be  so  par- 
ticular about  this  matter,  on  account  of  the  stretch  in  the 
rope.  Wire-rope  stretches  comparativel}-  very  little; 


12 

still  there  is  some  stretch,  and  it  is  well  to  allow  for  it  by 
stretching  the  rope  a  little  too  tight  at  first ;  after  run- 
ning a  little  it  will  hang  all  right.  When  the  rope  is 
very  long  it  is  advisable  to  take  up  the  stretch  at  the 
end  of  two  or  three  months,  as  a  slack  rope  does  not  run 
so  steadily  as  a  tight  one. 

Whenever  the  direction  of  the  motion  of  the  driving 
wheel  is  not  fixed  by  other  circumstances,  it  is  often 
advisable  to  make  the  lower  rope  the  pulling-ropc,  and 
the  upper  the  follower,  as  here  shown.  In  this  way 
obstructions  can  be  avoided,  which  by  the  other  plan 
would  have  to  be  removed.  The  ropes  will  not  inter- 
fere as  long  as  the  difference  between  the  two  deflec- 
tions d'  and  d"  is  less  than  the  diameter  of  the  wheel. 


These  limits  are  of  use  whenever,  on  account  of  rocks 
or  otherwise,  we  have  to  move  the  wheels  closer  to- 
gether, and  the  question  is  how  far  to  have  them  apart 
with  a  certain  deflection. 


Tlic  Wieeh 

• 

are  generally  made   of  cast-iron,  with   a  stout  hub,   8 
curved  arms,  and  a  deep,  flaring  groove. 
:  On  account  of  the  great  centrifugal  force  of  a  rapidly 


13 


revolving  wheel,  a  wooden  rim  would  not  answer.  The 
section  here  shown  is  for  a  single  grooved  wheel.  The 
slope  of  the  sides  of  the  rim  should  be  considerable ;  it 
has  been  made  as  high  as  45°  in  some  instances,  where 


the  span  was  very  long  and  the  ropes  were  exposed  to  a 
high  side-wind.  But  the  half  of  this  slope  will  answer 
in  general. 

''A  set  of  patterns  of  these  wheels,  single-grooved,  from  4  feet 
to  12  feet  diameter,  is  kept  on  hand  at  the  wire-rope  works  in 
Trenton,  N~.  J.,  and  castings  can  be  furnished  at  short  notice"* 

The  bottom  of  the  groove  is  made  a  little  wider,  to  pre- 
vent the  filling  from  flying  out.  The  rope  should  always 
run  on  a  cushion  of  some  kind,  and  not  on  the  iron,  which 
quickly  wears  it  out.  A  variety  of  material  is  used  for 
this  filling — soft  wood,  india-rubber,  leather,  old  rope 
tarred,  and  oakum.  To  use  end  wood  the  rim  has  to  be 
constructed  on  a  different  plan  from  that  shown  here. 
The  objections  to  it  are,  that  it  is  liable  to  shrink  and 
crack  and  fly  out ;  it  is  also  more  severe  on  the  rope. 
India-rubber  is  a  very  good  material ;  strips  of  an  inch 
square  or  less  can  be  wedged  in  very  quickly,  and  will 
last  a  long  time.  We  use  it  now  exclusively  for  the  filling 
of  our  wheels. 


*  See  page  22  for  price  of  wheels. 


The  rubber  is  cut  into  short  pieces,  having  a  cross-sec- 
tion, as  here  shown,  and  is  made  larger 
than  the  groove,  so  that  when  once  forced 
in,  it  cannot  fly  out.  The  adhesion  of  the 
rope  is  likewise  greater  on  the  rubber 
than  on  any  other  material. 

Leather  has  been  used  to  some  extent. 


It  is  durable,  but  tedious  to  put  in,  as  the  thin  strips  of 
leather  must  be  set  in  on  end.  and  several  thousand  are 
required  for  a  large  wheel. 

Again,  by  wedging  the  groove  full  of  tarred  oakum  a 
filling  is  also  obtained,  nearly  as  good  as  leather,  costing 
less,  and  not  so  tedious  to  put  in.  Another  plan,  which 
I  have  tried  with  success,  is  to  revolve  the  wheels  slowly 
and  let  a  lot  of  small-sized  tarred  ratlin  or  jute-yarns 
wind  up  on  themselves  in  the  groove  ;  then  secure  the 
end,  and  after  a  day  or  two  of  running  the  pressure  of 
the  rope,  together  with  the  tar,  will  have  made  the  iilling 
compact.  This  makes  a  cheap  filling. 

The  double-grooved  wheels  are  filled  in  the  same  way. 

The  rope  will  run  on  such  filling  without  making  any 

noise  whatever,  and  soon  wears  in  a  round  groove  for 

itself. 

A  section  of  the 
rim  of  a  G-foot  wheel 
is  here  shown  with 
the  dimensions 
marked. 

The  diam.  of  the 
wheel  is  not  reck- 
oned from  the  out- 
side of  the  rim,  but 
from  the  top  of  the 
iilling,  which  corre- 
sponds to  the  circle 


15 

described  by  the  rope.  The  hub  is  made  of  ample  size, 
so  as  to  admit  of  being  bored  out  for  shafts,  varying  from 
2  to  83  inches. 

"Special  care  must  le  taken  to  set  the  wheel-shaft  at  right 
angles  to  the  line  of  the  transmission,  and  also  to  set  the 
wheel  square  with  the  shaft,  otherwise  the  wheel  will  ivalble, 
and  cause  the  rope  to  vibrate  and  jerk." 

In  conveying  power  from  one  building  to  another  at  a 
single  stretch,  it  is  often  most  convenient  to  extend  the 
driving-shafts  through  the  wall  and  have  the  wheels  and 
rope  running  free  outside.  See  Plate  II.  The  endless 
spliced  rope  can  be  laid  on  directly  in  this  case,  which  is 
often  an  advantage.  When  this  is  not  practicable,  and  the 
rope  has  to  run  through  the  wall  or  the  side  of  the  window- 
casing,  narrow  slits  should  be  cut  in,  from  9  to  12 
inches  high  :  these  slits  at  the  same  time  serve  as  guides  to 
lead  the  rope  to  the  centre  of  the  wheel-groove.  Another 
variation  would  be,  to  set  up  the  wheels  on  the  roof, 
where  they  are  entirely  out  of  the  way.  The  rope  while 
running  requires  no  protection.  If  it  has  to  stand  still 
much,  pour  some  hot  coal-tar  from  a  can  on  the  rope  in 
the  groove  of  the  wheel  while  running. 

Whenever  there  is  no  room  for  the  sag  of  the  rope,  and 
it  is  inconvenient  to  raise  the  wheels  higher,  or  a  ditch 
cannot  be  dug,  it  may  be  supported  by  a  roller  in  the 


middle.  This  supporting-roller  must  be  in  the  centre  of 
the  span,  and  must  be  at  least  half  the  size  of  the  larger 
wheels. 


LONG   TRANSMISSIONS. 

SEE  PLATE  III. 


X  the  distance  materially  exceeds  350  to  400  feet, 
a  rope-transmission  should  be  divided  into  2  or  moro 
equal  parts,  by  means  of  one  or  more  intermediate 
stations.  At  each  station  there  is  a  wheel  mounted  on  a 
pedestal  or  other  support,  and  provided  with  a  double 
groove  in  the  rim  ;  so  that  in  place  of  one  long  continuous 
rope,  we  have  2  or  more  shorter  endless  ropes,  extending 
from  station  to  station.  This  is  far  preferable  to  support- 
ing-rollers in  the  middle,  especially  when  the  demand  on 
the  power  is  intermittent  and  jerks  would  thereby  be 
caused  in  the  rope.  With  the  two-grooved  wheel  that 
cannot  take  place :  moreover,  the  wear  of  the  rope  on  a 
supporting-pulley  is  greater.  The  sketch  on  the  adjoin- 
ing page  gives  a  view  of  the  arrangement. 

The  whole  system  should  be  in  a  straight  line  from  end 
to  end.  The  number  of  stations  can  be  extended 
indefinitely. 

Transmissions  are  in  operation  a  mile  in  length.  The 
loss  of  power  from  friction,  etc.,  or  bending  of  rope,  does 
not  amount  to  10  per  cent,  per  mile,  and  need  not  be 
taken  into  account  at  all  for  only  one  station..  No  slip- 
ping of  the  rope  in  the  groove  ever  occurs  with  a 
proper  filling.  With  bearings  of  a  sufficient  length  under 


17 

the  shaft  of  the  centre  wheel,  and  by  providing  them  with 
a  self-feeding  oil-cup,  the  axle-friction  is  reduced  to  a 
minimum. 

Compare  this  now  with  a  line  of  shafting  where  a 
bearing  has  to  be  provided  every  12  or  15  feet,  whereas 
here  we  need  a  bearing  only  every  3  or  400  feet.  Shaft- 
ing is  simply  out  of  the  question  in  such  a  case. 

The  cuts  on  pages  17  and  19  present  three  varieties  of 
foundation  or  pedestal  for  the  two-grooved  wheel — one  of 
stone,  one  of  cast-iron,  and  the  last  of  wood. 

In  this  country  it  will  generally  be  found  cheaper  to 
put  up  a  wooden  frame,  bolted  to  a  masonry  foundation 
extending  below  the  reach  of  frost.  The  frame  should  be 
braced  from  each  side  so  as  to  maintain  the  wheel  in  a 
vertical  plane :  end-bracing  is  not  required.  The  length 
of  shaft  from  centre  to  centre  of  bearing  should  be  a  little 


18 

less  than  Lalf  the  diameter  of  the  wheel.     A  collar  must 
be  put  on  the  shaft  on  the  inside  of  each  bearing. 

It  is  not  necessary,  however,  that  the  wheel  should  be 
set  in  the  middle  between  a  double  frame  or  pedestal  j  we 
can  just  as  well  hang  it  free  on  the  outside,  as  indicated 
in  the  dotted  lines  of  the  outer  wheel— Fig.  2,  previous 
page.  The  great  advantage  this  latter  arrangement  gives 
us,  is,  that  we  can  mount  a  rope  ready  spliced,  simply 
by  laying  it  on  from  the  side.  In  the  other  way,  the  rope 
has  to  be  rove  around,  hauled  taut  by  a  fall,  and  the  splice 
made  at  the  spot. 

In  a  short  transmission  it  is  generally  more  convenient 
to  put  on  the  rope  ready  spliced ;  but  where  there  is  a 
large  number  of  stations  and  many  ropes,  the  man  in 
charge  of  them  must  learn  to  make  his  own  splices.  This 
is  an  easy  operation,  and  can  be  learned  in  a  few  hours  by 
anybody.  The  taking  off  of  an  old  rope,  and  putting  on 
the  new  one,  including  the  splicing,  should  not  take  more 
than  1  or  2  hours. 

This  is  of  importance  when  the  whole  motive-power  of 
a  factory  is  derived  from  ropes. 

Where  ropes  have  to  be  often  mounted  it  is  convenient 
to  use  a  short  curved  trough  of  angle-iron,  first  applied 
by  Mr.  Ziegler.  This 
crosses  the  main  groove 
at  one  end,  and  is  secured 
to  the  rim  and  arms  of  the 
larger  wheel  by  bolts  or 
lashing.  Upon  turning 
the  wheel  in  the  direction 
of  the  arrow,  the  rope  lays 
in  itself.  We  can  also 
ease  the  strain  on  the 
rope  by  putting  under  a  light  temporary  support  in  tho 
middle. 


19 


20 

Plate  III  presents  an  illustration  of  a  Turbine  wheel 
with  the  driving-wheel  above,  on  the  outside  of  the  building. 
This  can  be  doubled  by  having  a  driving-wheel  on  the  op- 
posite side  also,  from  which  the  ropes  can  pass  in  a  differ- 
ent direction  if  necessary.  The  sketch  is  a  little  out  of 
proportion,  as  the  distances  between  stations  ought  to  be 
three-fold,  according  to  a  scale. 

It  is  required  sometimes  to  change  the  direction  of  the 
transmission  at  some  point  in  its  course,  either  to  avoid 
an  obstacle,  or  for  the  purpose  of  distributing  the  power 
to  a  number  of  consumers.  This  could  be  done  by  means 
of  horizontal  sheaves,  but  the  best  method  has  been  shown 
by  experience  to  consist  in  the  use  of  bevel- wheels.  a$» 
shown  in  this  sketch. 


21 

This  is  called  a  distributing-station ;  a  is  the  main 
driving-wheel ;  the  two  wheels  b  and  c  convey  the  power 
in  the  direction  of  the  arrows. 

We  can  thus  reach  any  locality  desired,  or  get  around 
the  corners  of  buildings,  or  any  part  of  your  neighbor's 
property  without  difficulty.  By  lengthening  out  the  shaft 
d  in  one  direction,  we  can  branch  out  still  further. 

When  the  power  is  to  be  conveyed  nearly  vertically, 
no  good  result  is  obtained  by  running  the  rope,  say  from  a 
to  1)  direct,  as  indicated  by  dotted  lines  in  the  figure  below, 
since  it  would  slip.  Two  carrying-sheaves,  c  and  d,  must 
be  put  up  vertically  above  a,  giving  a  horizontal  stretch 
from  c  and  d  to  b.  This  is  necessary,  in  order  to  main- 
tain the  required  tension  in  the  rope,  which  can  be  ob- 
tained in  no  other  way.  a,  5,  and  c,  and  even  d,  should 
be  of  the  same  size;  yet  d,  which  supports  the  following- 
rope,  may  be  made  smaller  without  damage. 


This  arrangement  must  be  borne  in  mind  whenever 
the   source   of  power  is  located   in  the  cellar,  and  we 


22 

want  to  carry  it  to  an  upper  story  and  distribute  it  hori- 
zontally. 

In  buildings  we  are  often  so  cramped  for  room  thai 
pulleys  beyond  18  inches  cannot  be  applied  ;  these  would 
be  rather  severe  on  a  wire-rope,  running  fast,  and  a  hide- 
rope  might  be  preferable. 

On  the  last  page  will  be  found  a  Wire-rope  table, 
giving  the  particulars  of  the  ropes  called  for  by  the 
Horse -power  table  on  page  7. 


PRICE    OF  WHEELS, 

FILLED    WITH   RUBBER    AND    BORED    OUT. 


3  feet  diain $£fr  each 

TC .«•  "Ov~ 

5  "         ^r    " 

6  « *& '  " 

7  "         95     " 

8  "          125     " 

9  CAST    IN    HALVES.  225       " 

10  "  do.    do.  300  " 

11  "  do.    do.  350  u 

12  "  '  do.    do.  400  " 

13  "    

14  (l 

15  "    

Special  rates  for  large  wheels. 


TABLE  OF  WIRE  ROPE, 


MANUFACTURED    BY 


JOHN   A.    ROEBLING'S    SONS, 

TRENTON,    N.    J. 


24 


Directions  for  Making  a  Long  Splice  in  an  Endless  Running 
Rope,  of  Half  Inch  Diameter. 

PLATE   IV. 

Tools  required  :  One  pair  of  nippers,  for  cutting  off  ends 
of  strands ;  a  pair  of  pliers,  to  pull  through  and  straighten 
ends  of  strands  ;  a  point,  to  open  strands  ;  a  knife,  for 
cutting  the  core,  and  two  rope  nippers,  with  sticks  to  un- 
twist the  rope  ;  also,  a  wooden  mallet. 

First. — Haul  the  two  ends  taut,  with  block  and  fall,  until 
they  overlap  each  other  about  20  feet.  Next,  open  the 
strands  of  both  ends  of  the  rope  for  a  distance  of  10  feet 
each ;  cut  off  both  hemp  cores  as  closely  as  possible  (see 
Fig.  1),  and  then  bring  the  open  bunches  of  strands  face 
to  face,  so  that  the  opposite  strands  interlock  regularly 
with  each  other. 

Secondly. — Unlay  any  strand,  a,  and  follow  up  with  the 
strand  1  of  the  other  end,  laying  it  tightly  into  the  open 
groove  left  upon  unwinding  a,  and  making  the  twist  of 
the  strand  agree  exactly  with  the  lay  of  the  open  groove, 
until  all  but  six  inches  of  1  are  laid  in,  and  a  has  become 
20  feet  long.  Next,  cut  off  a  within  six  inches  of  the  rope 
(see  Fig.  2),  leaving  two  short  ends,  which  roust  be  tied 
temporarily. 

Thirdly. — Unlay  a  strand,  4,  of  the  opposite  end,  and 
follow  up  with  a  strand,  /,  laying  it  into  the  open  groove, 
as  before,  and  treating  it  precisely  as  in  the  first  case  (see 
Fig.  3).  Next,  pursue  the  same  course  with  b  and  2, 
stopping,  however,  within  four  feet  of  the  first  set ;  next, 
with  e  and  5  ;  also,  with  c,  3,  and  d,  4.  We  now  have  the 
strands  all  laid  into  each  other's  places,  with  the  respective 
ends  passing  each  other  at  points  4  feet  apart,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  4.  .• 


Plate-  IV 


Fin.    1. 


c<  b 


* 


-*! 


25 

Fourthly. — These  ends  must  now  be  secured  and  disposed 
of,  without  increasing  the  diameter  of  the  rope,  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner :  Nipper  two  rope  slings  around  the  wire 
rope,  say  six  inches  on  each  side  of  the  crossing  point  of 
two  strands.  Insert  a  stick  through  the  loop,  and  twist 
them  in  opposite  directions,  thus  opening  the  lay  of  the 
rope  (see  Fig.  5).  Now,  cut  out  the  core  for  six  inches  on 
the  left,  and  stick  the  end  of  1  under  a,  into  the  place 
occupied  by  the  core.  Next,  cut  out  the  core  in  the  same 
way  on  the  right,  and  stick  in  the  end  of  a  in  place  of  the 
core.  The  ends  of  the  strands  must  be  straightened  before 
they  are  stuck  in. 

Now  loosen  the  rope  nipper  and  let  the  wire  rope  close. 
Any  slight  inequality  can  be  taken  out  by  pounding  the 
rope  with  a  wooden  mallet. 

Next,  shift  the  rope  nippers,  and  repeat  the  operation  at 
the  other  five  places. 

After  the  rope  has  run  for  a  day,  the  locality  of  the 
splice  can  no  longer  be  discovered.  There  are  no  ends 
turned  under  or  sticking  out,  as  in  ordinary  splices,  and 
the  rope  is  not  increased  in  size,  nor  appreciably  weakened 
in  strength. 


Notice  to   the  Trade. 


* 

It  has  recently  come  to  our  notice  that  a  Mr.  James 
Richmond,  of  Lockport,  N.  Y.,  claims  certain  patent  rights 
in  connection  with  the  rubber  filling  of  wheels,  the  trans- 
mission of  power  in  different  directions,  etc. 

We  hereby  give  notice  that  we  agree  to  protect  all  of  our 
customers  against  any  claim  Mr.  Richmond  may  make 
for  royalty,  and  warn  them  not  to  pay  it. 

The  filling  of  the  wheel,  whether  by  rubber,  leather  or 
gutta  percha  was  patented  as  long  ago  as  1855  by  F. 
Him  in  all  the  States  of  the  continent  and  England,  and 
has  already  expired  through  lapse  of  time. 
•  Previous  to  1867,  over  one  thousand  Rope  Trans- 
missions had  already  been  put  up  in  France,  Germany  and 
Switzerland,  embracing  every  variety  of  arrangement 
now  claimed  by  Richmond  as  his  inventions  ! 

On  page  174  of  a  German  Text-book  (The  u  Construc- 
teur"  by  Reuleaux),  edition  of  1801,  will  be  found  full 
illustrations  of  rubber  fillings,  wheel  sections,  etc.,  iden- 
tical with  those  described  in  the  American  Patent 
No.  61,554  of  Jan.  29th,  1867,  in  which  Mr.  Richmond 
bought  a  sixteenth  interest  for  twenty  dollars,  and  con- 
stituting the  sole  foundation  upon  which  he  proposes  to 
collect  a  royalty  from  our  customers. 

In  the  illustration  of  this  same  patent  a  chain  of  end- 
less buckets  is  shown  as  operated  by  two  endless  wire 
ropes.  This  identical  arrangement  was  used  already  as 
far  back  as  1859  in  dredging  out  the  bridge  foundations 
at  Kehl  over  the  Rhine,  and  is  described  in  "Erbkam's 
Zeitschrift  fur  Bauwesen  "  for  Jan.  1860.  This  dredge 


27 

never  was  successful,  because  the  motion  is  slow,  show- 
ing that  the  supposed  inventor  never  understood  the 
principle  of  Rope  Transmission,  which  is  speed. 

In  the  report  of  the  U.  S.  commissioners  to  the  Paris 
exhibition,  1867,  vol.  Ill,  page  128  to  134,  will  be  found 
a  full  description  of  "  Hirn's  "  Wire  Rope  Transmission 
as  there  exhibited. 

Again,  during  the  years  1862  to  766,  the  magnificent 
Wire  Rope  transmission  at  Schaffhausen  on  the  Rhine 
was  erected.  Here  800  horsepower  are  distributed  for  a 
distance  of  two  miles  among  fifty  different  manufactories, 
located  in  every  imaginable  position  and  embracing  all 
arrangements  of  changing  direction  which  Mr.  Richmond 
thinks  he  has  newly  devise:!.  A  description  of  these 
works,  with  drawings  and  plans  complete,  was  published 
in  1866  by  J.  H.  Kronauer,  of  Winterthur,  Switzerland. 

We  first  introduced  the  system  of  Rope  Transmission 
into  this  country  in  1867,  solely  with  a  view  to  benefit 
American  manufacturer^,  and  have  carefully  abstained 
from  hampering  the  thing  with  patents,  in  order  to  ex- 
tend its  use  as  much  as  possible  and  make  it  free  to  all. 
Among  others  so  benefited  was  Mr.  Richmond,  whom  we 
furnished  with  a  set  of  wheels  and  rope  for  an  800  foot 
Transmission,  about  a  year  after  the  first  issue  of  this 
pimphlet. 

Finding  that  it  proved  perfectly  successful,  he  at  once 
turns  around  and  attempts  not  only  to  appropriate  the 
labors  of  others  to  himself,  but  even  to  deprive  them  of 
the  fruits  of  their  own  labor — designs  that  could  only 
be  accomplished  through  the  want  of  information  among 
the  examiners  at  the  Patent  Office. 

JOHN  A.  ROEBLING'S  SONS. 


ROEBLINtfSWIRE  ROPE    FASTENINGS. 

l    1 


.  JEyc  vriifi  .sister  luwks 

^-~-^.__. 


IT 
ROEBLING'SWIRE  ROPE    FASTENINGS. 


Fastening  for  oil  wU  fool*  /  J2/ 


Fitgtau/iat  iiuuh-  MM? /nit  on  <tt  cost  i>iw- . 
,  ?iuiclc  to.vrcltT. 


STORE  AND  BRANCH  OFFICE,  117  LIBERTY  STREET,  NEW  YORK. 


IRON. 


HOISTING  ROPE^  19  WIRES.  T^  THE  STRAND. 


STEEL. 


I 

2 

3 
4 

5 
6 

7 
8 

9 
10 


Circumfere 
Inches. 


Breakin 
Tonsof 


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I# 


74 
65 
54 
44 

35 

27 

20 

16 

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5-'3i 
4.27 

3-48 


15 
13 

9 

7 

s 

4 
3 


Circumfere 
Ilemp  Ro 
Equal  Stre 


12 


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r. 


100 

86 

58 
45 
37 


28 
26 

i  25 


Tiller  Rope,  |  in.  Diameter, 


28c  per  Foot. 

23C      "          «« 


.1   ? 

1    1 

M     ' 
107 

97 

78 


39 
3° 
24 
20 

7 
5 


Circumfer 
Hemp  R 
Equal  Str 


S 


#3 


22 
20 
18 

ii 

9 
6 

5 

4 

\3 

2 


Min.  Size  of 
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144 
124 

106 
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All  Kinds  of  Shackles,  Sockets, 
Swivel  Hooks,  and  Fastenings, 
put  on,  Splices  made  for  Belt- 
Ropes. 


IRON.        Rope  wih  7  Wires  to  the  Strand.        STEEL. 


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We  keep  on  hand  a  full  assortment 

of  Rubber   Lined,    Cast  Iron  Trans- 

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mission  Wheels,  for  transferring  from 

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from  100  feet  to  2  miles. 

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Send  for  pamphlet  on  "Transmission 

27               S/8 

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of  Power." 

STEEL  CABLES 

FOR 

SUSPENSION    BRIDGES. 

Diameter 
in 
Inches. 

Ultimate   8t'tli 
in  Tons  of  2000 
Lbs. 

Weight 
per 

Foot. 

Price  per  Foot 
in 
Cents. 

25/6 

200 

15 

1 

2}4 

160 

II 

23/8 

120 

8-5 

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107 

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IRON,  COPPER  AND  TINNED 

SASH  CORDS. 

6 
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Diameter. 

1 

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25 

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Price  per  Foot. 

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26 

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NOTES  ON  RIGGING. 

Galvanized  Wire  Rope  for  shrouds  and  stays  is  now  universally  superceding 
hemp  rope  for  the  following  reasons:  it  is,  much  cheaper ; more  durable; 
and  will  not  stretch  permanently  under  great  strains,  as  is  the  case  with  hemp 
rigging,  thus  saving  much  labor  in  setting  up ;  and  it  is  fully  as  elastic  as  hemp 
rope  of  equivalent  size.  The  great  economy  of  using  wire  in  place  of  hemp 
rigging  is  the  large  reduction  in  size  and  weight.  The  bulk  of  wire  rigging  is 
only  one  sixth  that  of  hemp,  while  the  weight  is  only  one-half.  The  advantages 
of  lightness  are  apparent  to  every^seaman  ;  it  offers  less  resistance  to  the  wind, 
and  the  removal  of  several  tons  of  weight  from  the  height  occupied  by  the 
standing  rigging  ,  increases  both  the  steadiness  and  stability  of  the  ship. 

All  vessels  in  the  U.  S.  Navy  are  now  rigged  with  Roeblings  Wire  Rope 
exclusively,  it  having  proved  the  best  in  the  test  made  by  the  Government  at  the 
Was/iington  Navy  Yard. 


Two  kinds  of  wire  rope  are  manufactured.  The  most  pliable  variety  contains 
19  wires  in  the  strand  and  is  generally  used  for  hoisting  and  running  rope. 
The  ropes  with  12  wires  and  7  wires  in  the  strand  are  stiffer,  and  are  better 
adapted  for  standing  rope,  guys  and  rigging.  Orders  should  state  the  use  of  the 
rope  and  advice  will  be  given.  Ropes  are  made  up  to  3  inches  in  diam.,  both 
of  iron  and  steel,  upon  special  application.  *? 

For  safe  working  load  allow  one-fifth  to  one-seventh  of  the  ultimate  strength, 
according  to  speed,  so  as  to  get  good  wear  from  the  rope  When  substituting 
wire  rope  for  hemp  rope,  it  is  good  economy  to  allow  for  the  former  the  same 
weight  per  foot  which  experience  has  approved  for  the  latter. 

Wire  rope  is  as  pliable  as  new  hemp  rope  of  the  same  strength  ;  the  former 
will  therefore  run  over  the  same  sized  sheaves  and  pullies  as  the  latter.  But  the 
greater  the  diameter  of  the  sheaves,  pulleys  or  drums,  the  longer  wire  rope  will 
last.  In  the  construction  of  machinery  for  wire  rope  it  will  be  found  good 
economy  to  make  the  drums  and  sheaves  as  large  as  possible.  The  minimum 
size  of  drum  is  given  in  a  column  in  the  table. 

Experience  has  demonstrated  that  the  wear  increases  with  the  speed.  It  is 
therefore  better  to  increase  the  load  than  the  speed. 

Wire  rope  is  manufactured  either  with  a  wire  or  a  hemp  centre.     The  latter 
is  more  pliable  than  the  former   and  will  wear  better  where  there"is  short 
bending.     Orders  should  specify  what  kind  of  centre  is  wanted. 
*^Wire  rope  must  not  be  coiled  or  uncoiled  like  hemp  rope.     When  mounted  on 
JL  reel,  the  latter  should  be  mounted  on  a  spindle  or  flat  turn-table  to  pay  off  the 
r^ppe.     When  forwarded  in  a  small  coil  without  reel,  roll  it  over  the  ground  like 
';    a:  wheel,  amFfun  off  the  rope  in  that  way.     All  untwisting  or  kinking  must  be 
^  "avoided.       ^_ 

X..4  To  preserve  wire  rope,  apply  raw  linseed  oil  with  a  piece  of  sheepskin,  wool 
inside  ;  or  mix  the  oil  with  equal  parts  of  Spanish  brown  or  lamp-black. 

-To  preserve  wire  rope  underwater  or  under  ground,  take  mineral  or  vegetable 
tar,  add  I  bushel  of  fresh  slacked  lime  to  I  barrel  of  tar,  which  will  neutralize 
the  acid,  and  boil  it  well,  then  saturate  the  rope  with  the  hot  tar.  To  give  the 
mixture  body,  add  some  sawdust. 

In  no  case  should  galvanized  rope  be  used  for  running  rope.  One  day's  use 
scrapes  off  the  coating  of  zinc,  and  rusting  proceeds  with  twice  the  rapidity. 

The  grooves  of  cast  iron  pulleys  and  sheaves  should  be  filled  with  well 
seasoned  blocks  of  hard  wood  set  on  end,  to  be  renewed  when  worn  out.  This 
end  wood  will  save  wear  and  increase  adhesion.  The  smaller  pulleys  or  rollers 
which  support  the  ropes  on  inclined  planes  should  be  constructed  on  the  same 
plan.  When  large  sheaves  run  with  very  great  velocity,  the  grooves  should  be 
lined  with  leather,  set  on  end,  or  with  india  rubber.  This  is  done  in  the  case  of 
all  sheaves  used  in  the  transmission  of  power  between  distant  points  by  means 
of  ropes,  which  frequently  run  at  the  rate  of  4000  feet  per  minute.  Full  inform- 
ation will  be  given,  on  the  size  of  rope  and  the  size  and  speed  of  sheaves  to  be 
used  for  transmitting  power. 

Steel  ropes  are  to  a  certain  extent  taking  the  place  of  iron  ropes,  where  it  is  a 
special  object  to  combine  lightness  with  strength.  . 

But  in  substituting  a  steel  rope  for  an  iron  running  rope,  the  object  in  view 
should  be  to  gain  an  increased  wear  from  the  rope  rather  than  to  reduce  the 
size. 

Send  for  Painnlet  on  "Transmission  of  Power  by  fire  Rone." 


WIRE    ROPE 


OF 


IRON,     STEEL,     BRASS, 


O  O 


INCLINED  PLANES,  SUSPENSION  BRIDGES,  FER- 
RIES ;  FOR  MINING,  AND  ALL  KINDS 
OF  HEAVY  FOISTING. 


Small  Cords  for  Window  Sashes,  Signal  Ropes,  etc. 


SPECIAL    ATTENTION    GIVEN    TO 

PLIABLE   HOISTING   HOPES 

FOR    ELEVATORS. 


Address 


JOHN    A.    ROEBLING'S    SONS, 

TRENTON,    N.    J. 


YLORD  BROS.  Inc. 
Syr.cu.e,  N.  Y. 
Stockton,  Calif. 


